234 METEOROLOGY AND ALLIED SUBJECTS. 



the various works authorized by the congress and to stimulate every 

 movement that looks toward greater uniformity in instruments, reports, 

 reductions, &c. 



The International Polar Conference held its sittings in St. Petersburg 

 August 1, 1881, and definitely settled upon a programme to be adopted 

 in the international scheme for the exploration of the magnetic and me- 

 teorological phenomena of the Polar regions. The general schedule rec- 

 ommended at Berne was confirmed at St. Petersburg and the important 

 details definitely agreed upon. Observations will begin in the autumn 

 of 1882, and the following stations are assured : (1) Point Barrow, (2) 

 Lady Franklin Bay, will be occupied by the United States. (3) A place 

 on. the west coast of Greenland will be occupied by Denmark, either 

 Upernavik orGodthaab. (4) Jan Mayen, or the island of Grimsey near 

 Iceland, to be occupied by Austria. (5) The stations of Bosekop, near 

 Alten, Norway, will be occupied by the Norwegian Government. (6) 

 Mossel Bay, on Spitzbergen, will be occupied by the Swedish Govern- 

 ment. (7) The mouth of the Lena and Nova Zembla will be occupied 

 at one or more points by the Bussian Government. (8) Canada will 

 probably occupy Fort Simpson. France will occupy some island off Cape 

 Horn, and Germany will occupy the island of South Georgia. 



The observations will begin at all these stations at least as early as 

 the first of August, 1882, and will be continued for at least one whole 

 year. The stations occupied by the United States were, however, al- 

 already occupied in the summer of 1881, and will continue for three 

 years. It is hoped that most of the others will also be continued at least 

 as long as this. The observations will refer principally to magnetism and 

 meteorology, aril other matters being considered secondary. The regular 

 observations will be made hourly according to such system of time as 

 maybe desirable; but the magnetic observations that are made on term 

 days, which days will always be the first and fifteenth of each month, 

 shall be conducted according to Gottingen time. 



The meteorological observations are to be conducted as nearly as pos- 

 sible on a uniform system and with instruments of uniform accuracy, 

 the minutest details for which are given in the regulations of the con- 

 ference. 



The magnetic work will consist of both absolute and differential 

 observations. The absolute measures will give the declination and incli- 

 nation within one minute of arc, and are to be accompanied by special 

 magnetic study of the neighborhood, for the purpose of detecting local 

 irregularities. 



The differential observations will also refer to all three elements of 

 terrestrial magnetism, and it is desirable that each station should have 

 two complete sets of instruments. The variation instruments will be 

 furnished with the smallest possible needles. Observations will be made 

 hourly, except on term days, when they will be made every five minutes; 

 on such term days, moreover, during one hour complete observations will 

 be made every twenty seconds. 



